This is for need based aid since Ivies don’t give merit aid. Right?
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Yes, need based financial aid, not merit.
Just to be clear, merit aid is financial aid.
To stay on topic for OP, I did want to add that any request for additional merit aid supported by a peer school offer (comparing net COA) AND stating if you can get to $X COA I will commit today will be taken more seriously. When schools get a whiff that a student might be playing all the schools against each other with no certainty of enrollment there is less likelihood that some schools will increase their offer.
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Appreciate you spelling that out for me.
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Just to share for others:
My daughter was accepted by the University of Richmond; but they did not offer any merit aid or any financial aid. She received merit offers from peer schools to Richmond. So I prepared an email and sent it to Admissions, Financial Aid, and copied her admissions counselor. I was respectful, explained that Richmond is my daughter’s top choice, and attached information showing her other merit aid offers. I also stated that we have another child in college, our income varies dramatically because of our self-employment, and we have an upcoming major heart surgery we will pay for this year.
I asked to have a conversation either on the telephone or in person (we had planned to visit at the next admitted students day), but wanted to provide them the information in advance.
I was hopeful but also realistic that it was unlikely Richmond would change their offer. In the least, I thought they would speak with me about our situation and have a discussion.
I received an email from the financial aid office 15 minutes after sending my email, stating that need-based aid is analyzed by formula and is not altered. Also, all merit aid offers have been previously sent to other candidates and that they do not match offers from other schools.
This could just be Richmond’s policy, or perhaps it is a result of many schools (Richmond included) having a record number of applications this year; and not needing to actively entice any candidates.
I just thought I would share.
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I think that’s the likely outcome from everywhere - but you did try - and at least you’ll never second guess that.
Wishing your daughter success wherever she lands.
It was not Richmond, but we had the same outcome (no budging on merit.) Their loss, my student has decided to move on and will be choosing another school.
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Professional judgment letter/requests have been successful in some cases. So sorry it wasn’t in this case. Good luck.
I have heard that the prefer the student to sent the appeal letter. Sorry they didn’t budge 
I have heard mixed on whether it should come from the parent or the student. I spoke with a few college consultants and the consensus was that the parents are paying for college (usually), so that it is natural for the appeal to come from the payer.
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I have heard the same. I think that it probably comes down to the college (how much do they need to entice students to meet their enrollment numbers) and maybe even the student (how much does the college want that particular student).
We are also trying to appeal Richmond, what were your child’s stats if you don’t mind? Trying to figure out if we have a shot
In our house, the (failed) merit appeal came from the high school senior.
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Back when our younger kid was accepted, she had offers from two colleges that most definitely are peer schools.
The lower offer school was very clear. They didn’t review their financial aid (merit or need based) at all.
The other school actually added some money to the award when our kid asked and said she was ready to commit (and she did).
You can guess it was an easy choice! Love the schools that love you back.
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I worked in financial aid at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. I was fine with parents making an ask for increased merit at the undergraduate level - sometimes I would follow up with the student after speaking with the parent. At the graduate level, I would only speak with the student - if a parent contacted me, I asked them to have the student call me.
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Hey @sheep16793 they are 4.4 weighted GPA. Class rank 4th out of 500. Goes to one of Virginia’s Governor’s Schools. Didn’t submit SATs.
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Those are great stats, kudos to your kiddo!
This is a fun tool! And pretty spot on for the offers I thought would be good comparisons to use in an appeal. Is it best to send 1 or more offers from other peer schools (focusing on total COA, not on the actual merit amount, though the two best comps have better or equal amounts of merit aid they are giving)? This really is my daughter’s top choice (the school we are making an appeal to) and we had higher hopes for a better offer. She has a distant second favorite choice, but I’m afraid if she ends up there she will have regrets (I on the other hand was pulling for number 2).
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